A federal judge sentenced three Georgia men who were convicted of hate crimes connected to the murder of Ahmaud Abery, a black man who was jogging before he was tracked down and shot to death.

According to a news release from the Department of Justice, the three defendants were found guilty on multiple counts during their trial in February. The convictions include one count of using violence to intimidate and interfere with Arbery due to his race and his use of a public street. They were also found guilty of attempting to kidnap Arbery by pursuing him in their trucks with the intent of capturing and confining him. 

Travis McMichael was found guilty of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a Remington shotgun during the hate crime, which added 10 years to his life sentence, and Gregory McMichael was found guilty of using, carrying and brandishing a .357 Magnum revolver, which added seven years to his life sentence, according to the news release. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland said 'hate crimes have no place in our country' after judge sentences defendants in Ahmad Abery murder. | U.S. Justice Department

“The Justice Department’s prosecution of this case and the court’s sentences today make clear that hate crimes have no place in our country, and that the Department will be unrelenting in our efforts to hold accountable those who perpetrate them," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in the news release. "Protecting civil rights and combatting white supremacist violence was a founding purpose of the Justice Department, and one that we will continue to pursue with the urgency it demands.”

The evidence presented at the trial revealed that defendants Travis and Gregory McMichael on Feb. 23, 2020, armed themselves with weapons and pursued Arbery after he ran past their driveway. The chase passed by the home of defendant Roddie Bryan, who hopped in a separate truck and joined the McMichaels on the chase. During the next four-to-five minutes, the three defendants attempted to box Arbery in with their trucks as he ran from the defendants. Arbery was unarmed, and his hands were in view. He never spoke to the defendants and did not make any sounds or gestures that were threatening and continuously attempted to flee the men. 

After Arbery had redirected his attempt to flee while trying to escape from the defendants, Travis McMichael hopped out of his truck, pointing a shotgun directly at Arbery. When Arbery began to defend himself, he was shot in the chest by Travis McMichael. During a struggle over the gun between Arbery and Travis McMichael, McMichael fired two more shots striking Arbery, who tumbled a few steps and fell onto the street and died.

“It was important that this murder was prosecuted for what it was—a brutal and abhorrent racially-motivated hate crime," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said. "Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today. The tragic murder of Mr. Arbery reminds us that hate-fueled violence targeting Black people remains a modern-day threat in our country, and we must use every tool available to hold perpetrators accountable. We hope that this sentencing ends one painful chapter for the family of Ahmaud Arbery, the Brunswick community and the nation as a whole.”

Evidence showed that Travis McMichael frequently sent racially biased text messages and social media posts, where he referred to Black people as “sub-human savages” who “ruin everything.” One witness testified that Gregory McMichael went on a five-minute rant after angrily responding to her that Civil Rights leader Julian Bond should have “been put in the ground years ago” and that he and “those Blacks” were “nothing but trouble.”

“Those who commit hate crimes target what makes us who we are as Americans, striking at the very heart of our society," FBI Director Christopher Wray said. "This is why combating hate crimes and protecting civil rights are top priorities for the FBI. We will continue to fulfill our mission, working with our partners to investigate these acts of hatred and violence, and protecting the American people.”